CVE-2022-24840 is a path traversal vulnerability identified in the django-s3file package, a lightweight file upload input component used in Django applications to facilitate file uploads to Amazon S3 storage. Versions of django-s3file prior to 5.5.1 are affected. The vulnerability arises from improper limitation of pathname inputs (CWE-22), allowing an attacker to traverse directories beyond intended boundaries within the AWS S3 bucket. Specifically, if the AWS_LOCATION setting is not configured, an attacker can potentially access or delete any file within the entire S3 bucket. When AWS_LOCATION is set, traversal is limited to that specified location, reducing but not eliminating risk. The flaw allows unauthorized users to manipulate file paths to access or delete files outside of their permitted scope. This can lead to unauthorized data exposure or data loss. The vulnerability was discovered by the package maintainer and patched in version 5.5.1. There are no known reports of exploitation in the wild, and no feasible workarounds exist other than upgrading to the fixed version. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data stored in S3 buckets managed via django-s3file, especially in environments where the package is used without strict AWS_LOCATION restrictions. Exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction, making it a significant risk if vulnerable versions are deployed in production environments.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access and deletion of sensitive files stored in AWS S3 buckets managed through django-s3file. Given the widespread use of Django in web applications and the popularity of AWS S3 for cloud storage, organizations using vulnerable versions may face data breaches, loss of critical business data, or disruption of services relying on these files. This can lead to regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR, if personal or sensitive data is exposed or lost. The integrity of stored data can be compromised, affecting business operations and trust. Availability impacts arise if attackers delete essential files, causing downtime or degraded service performance. Since exploitation requires no authentication, attackers can remotely exploit this vulnerability if the affected application is publicly accessible. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time. Organizations with automated deployment pipelines or legacy systems may be slower to patch, increasing exposure duration.

The primary and only effective mitigation is to upgrade django-s3file to version 5.5.1 or later immediately. Organizations should audit their codebases and dependencies to identify any usage of django-s3file and confirm the version in use. If upgrading is not immediately possible, restrict network access to the affected applications to trusted users only, minimizing exposure. Review and enforce strict AWS_LOCATION settings to limit S3 bucket path access scope. Implement monitoring and alerting on S3 bucket access patterns to detect unusual file access or deletion activity. Employ AWS S3 bucket policies and IAM roles to enforce least privilege access, ensuring the application cannot access or delete files outside its intended scope, providing a defense-in-depth layer. Conduct penetration testing focusing on file upload and path traversal vectors to validate remediation. Finally, maintain an inventory of third-party components and apply timely updates to reduce exposure to known vulnerabilities.